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Pesticides makers' body ties up with UK research firm

Our Bureau

MUMBAI, Jan. 18

THE Pesticides Manufacturers & Formulators Association of India (PMFAI) today announced its tie-up with Huntingdon Life Sciences, a UK-based contract research organisation, to form a development alliance.

Addressing a press conference, Mr. Brian Cass, Managing Director, Huntingdon Life Sciences, said that the main focus of the alliance would be in Huntingdon providing assistance and advice in regulatory affairs for Indian chemical companies.

Mr. Pradeep Dave, President of PMFAI, said that Indian companies should be made aware of the fact that if a product is properly registered in one European Union (EU) country then the product can be sold in all the other EU countries.

Huntingdon will be opening a branch in Mumbai, which will be managed by PMFAI, Mr. Cass said. He said that Huntingdon would give a better understanding of the regulatory requirements and encourage Indian companies to come together as a group to collect d ata and interpret that data for regulatory purposes.

Mr. Nick Roberts, Agrochemical Business Development Manager of Huntingdon, said that the emerging market in India is in herbal medicines.

Huntingdon Life Sciences is a non-clinical compound development company with broadbased expertise in various fields. It has two research centres in the UK and one in the US. It employs over 1,200 people worldwide and has annual turnover of $110 millions.

PMFAI has 220 members including small, medium and large companies besides multinational companies. According to PMFAI, the tie-up with HLS is expected help boost exports. In 1998, exports of pesticides were at $225 millions, which can go up to $2 billion s if all Indian manufactures register their products globally, Mr. Dave said.